Baby cradle rocked by electricity



Aug., 9, 1949 G. YuRKovlcH 2,478,445

BABY CRADLE ROCKED B Y ELECTRICITY I Filed March 29, 1947 fax Fiyi 25,11 4 HH hll J" "b/ Muff IN VEN TOR.

i @v0/26E 'YU/KOWCH TOENEY Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,478,445 y BABY CRADLE ROCKED BY ELECTRICITY George Yurkovich, Harmarville, Pa.

Application March 29, 1947, Serial No. 738,127

This invention relates to mechanically rocked vcradles and beds for infants and children, and especially to the type in which the cradle is movably supported by a stationary frame provided with mechanism for rocking the cradle in situ.

The main object of my invention is to have a cradle or the like which may be mechanically rocked for as long or short a period of time as may be desired without the necessity of personal attention or manual rocking of the cradle.

Another object is to have such a cradle with means for controlling the mechanical rocking, at will, for starting, stopping and also governing the speed of the rocking to slow easy rhythm or more rapid movement.

A further object is to provide such a cradle with a stationary base having end supports for said cradle and an electric motor mounted upon the base beneath the cradle with appropriate crank and link connections from the motor to the cradle to rock the latter.

It is also an object of my invention to provide the frame supporting the cradle with an electric light to illuminate the interior of said cradle when the infant in it requires attention.

It is even an object to make the cradle of any suitable material such as wood, metal, plastics or any combination of these.

Other objects and the advantages of my invenf1 tion will appear more fully in detail as the specication proceeds.

In order to bring out the salient features of the invention in readily comprehensible form, a practical embodiment of the same is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming -part hereof and in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of a mechanically rocked cradle made according to the invention and disclosing the general arrangement and relation of the base, cradle and drive mechanism for rocking said cradle;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same base and cradle;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Throughout the views the same or like parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.

It is a rather familiar fact that when infants are to be put to rest, it is frequently necessary to lull them or rock them to sleep, although this may prove to a tedious process, especially if the infant is restless and requires to be rocked for a long time. Rocking a cradle or agitating a crib or the like for a matter of an hour or more by hand is tiresome, and may cause the parents who must do this to be too tired the following day to do eifective work of any kind. For these and other reasons, it is highly desirable to have a cradle so mounted and equipped that it can be rocked with easy mechanical regularity for any length of time which may be required, and it is now therefore proposed to provide such a crib or cradle construction vwhich simultaneously has certain advantages in addition.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and referring again to the drawings, a supporting base, generally indicated by I0 consists mainly of an elongated board member II provided with a group of :casters I2, I2, etc., allowing the base to be rolled along the licor to desired position for the cradle. Upon this base is xed an upright post I3 at one end and a similar post I4 at the other end, each post having a bearing I5 at its upper end for supporting a pin I6 of the cradle, generally indicated at I'I, the pin having in each case a spacing block I8 mounted on the same to keep the cradle out of actual Contact with the posts so that it may swing freely upon its end pins in the post bearings. The cradle I1 consists of. two end frames I9, I9 connected together by means of side frames 20 (one shown) and, of course a spring of conventional type (not shown). The previously mentioned pivot pins I6, I6 which engage in bearings I5 are fixed in the upper ends of the end frames I9, I9 as particularly shown in Figure 1 and project horizontally outward therefrom.

Upon the base board II is mounted a motor base 2I supporting an electric motor 22 and a fixed metal frame 23 of substantially U-shape forming the support and bearing member for the drive mechanism primarily including an upright shaft `2li having a worm gear 25 xed thereon and meshing with a worm 26 mounted on the motor shaft 21 so as to be driven by said motor. The mot-or is held in place by a strap 28 having the ends thereof screwed or otherwise secured to the motor base 2l, which in turn is held in pla-ce upon board I I by means of screws or bolts 29, 29, etc. Upon the upper end of driven shaft 24 is secured a crank lever 3U which positively rotates in a horizontal plane with said shaft, and at its free end is plvotally connected to a link 3I by means of a pivot pin 32, the link being connected at its other end to a cross board 33 by means of a pin or bolt 34. This cross board forms part of the crib and is secured to the lower edges of the side frames 20 of the crib or cradle, so that when the motor drives the shaft 24 through gear 25, crank lever 30 then rotates and transmits its rotary movement through link 3| to the cross .board 33 at the bottom of the cradle, with the result that the latter is rocked as indicated in broken lines in Figure 2 at 35.

In order to properly lubricate the worm gear and incidentally also the Worm, a roller shaft 36 is also mounted for rotation in U-shaped frame 23 with a soft roller 31 of porous material rolling in contact with` worm gear 25, the roller being charged with oil.

The motor has a cable 38 conducting electric current thereto, this cable being divided into two conductors 39, 40 on base 2l, the one going 'di-v rectly to the motor and the other having a fuse 4I interconnected therein as it also leads to the motor, the fuse serving to protect the motor from current surges and damage. The cable has a plug 42 for plugging into an outlet, While an upwardly extending portion 43 is secured upon post I4 with a switch 44 connected into the cil"- euit for starting and stopping the motor. A branch 45 of the cable extends' to the top of the post which is -Sirmounted by a lamp 41SI conf riected to said branch cable and a shade 41 which is so mounted that it can be turned about the lamp, either to throw the light, over the cradle or away from the same.` This lamp may `be' vconnected into the circuit independently of the motor, or it may be in the' circuit so as to be controlled by switch 44, if desired. Y

Thus, when the plug is inserted into a wall socket or outlet and the switch turned on, the motorv will rotate crank lever p30 and through link 3| will oscillate the cradle from side to Side on pins l`6, i6 the stationary bearings I5, and this rocking motion will continue as long as the current is turned on through the switch.

of course, the cradle may be made of metal such 'as aluminum, stainless steel, plastic or wood, or any desired combination of such materials, and any other VAshape than shown 'may also be used,l as may be found useful. n the other hand, control of the current may be included so that the 'motor Will run at slow vspeed for ver? gentle rocking of the cradle, or as faster Speed for a more rapid rocking. A

It is frtheruriderstood that 'Iy invention may be applied on beds for adults VaS a emdj! 'f s'll-prsns and peple hai/ingv ilsiia.

Manifestly, variations of the construction shown and described may be resorted to, and

parts and features may be replaced or used without others Within the scope of the appended claims.

Hence, having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a cradle structure, a base frame, upright supports extending upwardly from the base frame, a cradle structure, a cross board connected to the bottom of the cradle structure, means for connecting the cradle structure to the the upright supports for movement with respect thereto, a selfecontained driving unit connected to the base frame as a unit, said driving unit comprising a unit b ase adapted for the connection of the unit with the' base frame, an electric motor on the base and having cable means for the connection of the electric motor to an electric source, a U-shaped member resting upon one of its side legs upon the base and connected thereto, a vertically extending shaft journalled in the legs of the U-shaped member, driving gear means between the motor and the shaft for rotating the said shaft, a crank arm fixed to the upper end of the shaft and a link connected between thelouter end of the crank arm and the cross board.

2. n a cradle arrangement as defined in claim 1 and said U-shaped member having its leg portions extending beyond the gear means connecting the electric motor with the vertical shaft and an oiling roller connected to the ends of the por= tions of the legs of the U-shaped member for rotation with respect thereto and engaging with the gear means whereby to lubricate the same.

' GEORGE YURKOVICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlccs are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,231,078 Sill June 26, 1917 1,909,204 Marchese May 16, 1933 2,062,070 Redmond Nov. 24, 1936 

